After seemingly endless speculation and rumors, the Canon RF f/1.4L lens might finally be on the horizon
The current, EF-mount, 35mm f/1.4 lens(Image credit: Canon)
Well, we've been here before – and I have some serious déjà vu today as I write for the umpteenth time about the inevitable release of a Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L lens. But this time, it might actually be happening.
Fresh reports (courtesy of Canon Rumors) point specifically to the lens being released next month. However, the rumors don't stop there, suggesting that the RF 35mm lens is also pegged to be released alongside the Canon EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II!
So are we going to see the most bumper day of Canon releases ever? Well, maybe take this with a pinch of salt. We have pretty high confidence in both those cameras coming before the Paris 2024 Olympics and EUFA Euro 2024 competition, which are both being held this summer (or winter, for folks in the southern hemisphere) – although whether Canon plans to throw out all these huge products in one day and not let each one bask in its own spotlight for a few weeks remains to be seen.
But let's get back to the matter at hand – the Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L lens. This lens has long been a professional photographer's staple lens for fashion, street, documentaries, weddings and more, and the fact that Canon's EOS R cameras have gone without it for so long is a real black mark on its name.
A logical conclusion is that Canon has been working on something revolutionary behind the scenes, so that this lens can grab headlines and set itself above the competition. Canon Rumors' source thinks they might know the secret: "video features", although sadly they couldn't provide any more information than that.
But what could this mean? Although Canon has teased that more Power Zoom lenses are in the pipeline, I will go out on a limb and say this is hopefully not another Canon Power Zoom lens akin to the RF 24-105mm f/2.8 Z I tested recently. While it is an absolutely stunning lens, it is not suitable for stills photographers with no interest in video, and I really think Canon's first RF 35mm f/1.4 lens needs to not forsake stills photographers.
Could this instead be the start of Canon including aperture rings on its L-series lenses? While Canon's L glass already has a separate zoom ring and programmable control ring that can be used for aperture, dedicated (and marked) aperture rings have come back into vogue; Fujifilm, Sony, Sigma and potentially soon Tamron have been including a dedicated aperture ring.
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This all sounds promising, though, and as a Canon shooter with a preference for the 35mm focal length, I couldn't be more excited to find out what it has in store!
Gareth is a photographer based in London, working as a freelance photographer and videographer for the past several years, having the privilege to shoot for some household names. With work focusing on fashion, portrait and lifestyle content creation, he has developed a range of skills covering everything from editorial shoots to social media videos. Outside of work, he has a personal passion for travel and nature photography, with a devotion to sustainability and environmental causes.
